Advice please: newbies and clipless pedals

Stephen Baker <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

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Shaun R says (as though he didn't know the answer....):

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>> Hi! <blush...>
>
>Hiya! <waves>

[censored]!

[censored]!

Shaun aRe - Whyfor you calling me [censored]?!?!?!?

Coz you just _have_ to stand up and wave at every passing piece of talent.

Hey, I was sat down at the time........with my arms folded........not that I'm boasting or anything
you know...........

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Not like yours truly, shrinking violet that I am.......... ;-P

You misspelled 'shrivelling' - HTH!

Shaun aRe

"Monique Y. Herman" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:%RnPa.30279$Ph3.2490@sccrnsc04...

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I know I'm going to regret asking, but what do you mean by 'FM'?

I assume it relates to bandages, neosporin, and other such fun medical aids ...

-- monique

Marty said:

"Monique Y. Herman" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:Xb6Pa.24330$H17.7866@sccrnsc02...

Most experienced MTB'rs always carry a supply of FM in their camelbak

for

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those clipless pedal excursions. FM is the ticket for clipless pedals,

track

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stands, bunny hops, nose wheelies, two foot drops, etc.......

Marty

Monique,

FM is simply Freakin' Magic!

I'm sorry but it had to be done................

It seems you've some good advice (somewhere in all those e-mails). Welcome to the AM-B.

Marty

Super Slinky <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

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Monique Y. Herman said...

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Hi all!

I would like to get your opinions on mountain-biking newbies starting out on clipless pedals (or
a pointer to the appropriate FAQ, as I suspect that I am not the first to ask this question). As
far as I know, my options are: start with "normal" pedals, start with toe clips, or start with
clipless pedals.

Clipless pedals are for those who have to be the fastest, coolest bikers around. They are a racing
product that trickled down to the average consumer because of the fashion factor, like so many
others in the cycling world.

I must admit my shame. This is why I went clipless in the first place.

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They will make you a little faster and climb a little better,

This is the argument that sold me on them.

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but at the price of a few extra falls and lots of extra expense and annoyance. There are many
situations where clipless pedals are a nuisance if not a hazard, like city riding and slow
sections of trails where it would be nice to dab a little or where falls could cause serious
injury or worse.

I disagree. I had my share of "clipless moments" when I started out with them. Unclipping has become
an auto-reflex. I am out with a flick of the ankle. I do not find city or road riding the slightest
bit dangerous with them. When I encounter a particular technical section for the first time, I
usually unclip and "platform" the pedals, but on the second time +, I feel more comfortable clipped
in. I guess it is my teddy bear. YMMV.

<snip>

here is the secret...

It is a personal taste thing. For some of us, clipless is a horror and for others a necessity. Some
of us wish to be free to dab while riding stairs, running babyheads, steep endo prone slopes, etc.
Others prefer the secure feeling that they will not slip off the bike in those places.

Do you prefer chocolate or vanilla?

I would not however recommend riding clipless when you start off. You will be learning to feel the
bike while at the same time you will be learning to feel your pedals. Do one thing at a time; bike
first and then you can decide on the pedals later.

Oh and they do make you faster.

-Dave

Mark Webb scribbled :

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I'm not so sure I get why you wouldn't want to be attached to the pedals unless you are stopping
ot have become snarled or taken a bad line through real technical terrain.

My motto is to stay attached to the bike, as that is the point of control. Lose or switch that
control always seems like trouble to me, proven by a biking buddy that showed skull after
unclipping for a big descent when the bike left him but the big rock didn't

You are right though in that the biking style determines what to do. My first year in clipless
involved a lot of cuts, bruises and scars. The second year only a couple. The third year none.

Bear the pain :-)

Mark

how male of you.

Penny

Penny S. <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

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Mark Webb scribbled :

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I'm not so sure I get why you wouldn't want to be attached to the pedals unless you are stopping
ot have become snarled or taken a bad line through real technical terrain.

My motto is to stay attached to the bike, as that is the point of control. Lose or switch that
control always seems like trouble to me, proven by a biking buddy that showed skull after
unclipping for a big descent when the bike left him but the big rock didn't

You are right though in that the biking style determines what to do. My first year in clipless
involved a lot of cuts, bruises and scars. The second year only a couple. The third year none.

Bear the pain :-)

Mark

how male of you.

Wimp!

',;~}~

Shaun aRe

What do you mean by that, Penny? I'm honestly confused ...

-- monique

Penny S. said:

Mark Webb scribbled :

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I'm not so sure I get why you wouldn't want to be attached to the pedals unless you are stopping
ot have become snarled or taken a bad line through real technical terrain.

My motto is to stay attached to the bike, as that is the point of control. Lose or switch that
control always seems like trouble to me, proven by a biking buddy that showed skull after
unclipping for a big descent when the bike left him but the big rock didn't

You are right though in that the biking style determines what to do. My first year in clipless
involved a lot of cuts, bruises and scars. The second year only a couple. The third year none.

Bear the pain :-)

Mark

how male of you.

Penny

Thank you (I think)

Now how do I get home without asking for directions? ;-)

Mark

( Ireararnged Monique's top posting so as to keep the flow)

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Mark Webb scribbled :

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I'm not so sure I get why you wouldn't want to be attached to the pedals unless you are stopping
ot have become snarled or taken a bad line through real technical terrain.

My motto is to stay attached to the bike, as that is the point of control. Lose or switch that
control always seems like trouble to me, proven by a biking buddy that showed skull after
unclipping for a big descent when the bike left him but the big rock didn't

You are right though in that the biking style determines what to do. My first year in clipless
involved a lot of cuts, bruises and scars. The second year only a couple. The third year none.

Bear the pain :-)

Mark

Penny S. wrote:

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how male of you.

Penny

Monique Y. Herman scribbled :

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What do you mean by that, Penny? I'm honestly confused ...

-- monique

well I would have mailed this but you have a pretty confused munged addy.

Anyway, it's an attempt at humor based on "typical" differences between the

comments do not apply to all men or all women, they are based to a certain degree on reality and
observation, and to a certain degree on stereotype and assumption.

I.A: males typically force things, rely on brute strength, learning by hurting oneself until they
figure out how not to get hurt, etc. The "hey just go for it" approach. Females typically
rely more on finesse, learning a bit of technique, analyzing what they are doing and working
their way up the skills ladder. Obviously these are generalizations.

Penny S

Penny S. said:

Monique Y. Herman scribbled :

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What do you mean by that, Penny? I'm honestly confused ...

-- monique

well I would have mailed this but you have a pretty confused munged addy.

Oop ... I should just create a standard sig about this: remove the S.P.A.M. to mail me ... in fact,
any address at bounce swoosh org should route to me.

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I.E: males typically force things, rely on brute strength, learning by hurting oneself until
they figure out how not to get hurt, etc. The "hey just go for it" approach. Females
typically rely more on finesse, learning a bit of technique, analyzing what they are doing
and working their way up the skills ladder. Obviously these are generalizations.

Ah! Gotcha!

Although I would pretty much assume that anyone learning to mountain bike should expect to get some
nicks and dings along the way, no?

-- monique

Monique Y. Herman scribbled :

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Penny S. said:

Monique Y. Herman scribbled :

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What do you mean by that, Penny? I'm honestly confused ...

-- monique

well I would have mailed this but you have a pretty confused munged addy.

Oop ... I should just create a standard sig about this: remove the S.P.A.M. to mail me ... in
fact, any address at bounce swoosh org should route to me.

Quoted message said:

I.E: males typically force things, rely on brute strength, learning by hurting oneself until
they figure out how not to get hurt, etc. The "hey just go for it" approach. Females
typically rely more on finesse, learning a bit of technique, analyzing what they are doing
and working their way up the skills ladder. Obviously these are generalizations.

Ah! Gotcha!

Although I would pretty much assume that anyone learning to mountain bike should expect to get
some nicks and dings along the way, no?

-- monique

Uh, yeah.

btw... humor is allowed here. ;-) We thrive on it.

Penny

"Penny S." <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

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btw... humor is allowed here. ;-) We thrive on it.

ANOTHER MOUNTAIN-BIKER LIE!!!

Bill "have fun in Idaho; wish I were there" S.

"Monique Y. Herman" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:1mwPa.33909$Ph3.2843@sccrnsc04...

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I think I've made my decision, at least for now -- going to go ahead and use the clipless. I
already have the pedals and the shoes, and after the first couple of days, I haven't found myself
on the ground when coming to a stop on flat, friendly terrain. I'm still skittish about
stopping/going slow, but considerably less so than when I started, and I suspect a few weeks of
practice will eliminate most of that.

Let me strongly suggest 2 things which my wife did and never looked back.
1) Get the multi-release cleats (silver), these allow you to get out with additional angles, not
simply twist left or right. (This assumes SPD pedals).
2) Set the tension to very, very easy. You'll unclip a few times unintentionally, but so what.

--
Craig Brossman, Durango Colorado (remove .nospam. if replying)

Penny, just for reference I am 5'7" and 125lbs. Brute strength ain't the word, but testosterone
may be ;-)

Mark

Penny S. <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

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Monique Y. Herman scribbled :

Quoted message said:

Penny S. said:

Monique Y. Herman scribbled :

> What do you mean by that, Penny? I'm honestly confused ...
>
> -- monique

well I would have mailed this but you have a pretty confused munged addy.

Oop ... I should just create a standard sig about this: remove the S.P.A.M. to mail me ... in
fact, any address at bounce swoosh org should route to me.

Quoted message said:

I.E: males typically force things, rely on brute strength, learning by hurting oneself until
they figure out how not to get hurt, etc. The "hey just go for it" approach. Females
typically rely more on finesse, learning a bit of technique, analyzing what they are
doing and working their way up the skills ladder. Obviously these are generalizations.

Ah! Gotcha!

Although I would pretty much assume that anyone learning to mountain bike should expect to get
some nicks and dings along the way, no?

-- monique

Uh, yeah.

btw... humor is allowed here. ;-) We thrive on it.

Well, you do on the odd occasion you actually get the joke Penny ',;~}~

Shaun aRe - Heeeehehehe.....ahem.

I had the same problem. I just started MTB this year and got into clip pedals right from the get go. After falling numerous times trying to climb steep hills I decided to do some pedal research and ended up buying Shimano SPD M545 which have been a godsend! They are platform pedals with SPD cleats on both sides. I adjusted to these instantly and now if I am about to climb anything scary i unclip the left side and ride the platforms. Only problem I encountered is mud and trying to clip in but a few pokes with your finger works.

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by Monique Y. Herm
Hi all!

I would like to get your opinions on mountain-biking newbies starting out on clipless pedals (or a
pointer to the appropriate FAQ, as I suspect that I am not the first to ask this question). As far
as I know, my options are: start with "normal" pedals, start with toe clips, or start with
clipless pedals.

I'd be most interested in hearing from anyone who *started* mountain biking with clipless -- do you
think it was the right way to go?

I apologize in advance for being a total novice at both mountain biking and this group.

The specifics:

I'm a 25-year-old woman who would like to start mountain biking. I just bought a Trek Fuel 90 over
the 4th of July weekend; before that, I hadn't owned or ridden a bike in several years. My fiance
has set a goal for me of riding what is apparently a fairly technical and steep trail by this time
next year ... I don't know if that's feasible, but I'm at least going to shoot for it.

I bought the bike while visiting my aunt -- in fact, she's the one who convinced me to splurge on
full suspension, rather than buying a hardtail. She also told me to go ahead and get clipless pedals
right away, so that's what I did.

So far, I've mostly been riding wide dirt roads, getting the feel of clipping in and out. My pedals
are set pretty loosely, apparently, so clipping out isn't terribly hard -- when I remember to do so.
I do have to clip out before coming to a stop, as my balance isn't good enough yet to keep the bike
upright while stopped.

The first day on the bike, my aunt took me on a single track trail, and I apparently did fairly well
for the first bit, but after falling during a tricky part, I lost my nerve and we headed back to the
wide-open road. That seems to be the main concern with clipless -- that I'll be too scared to try
stuff. On the other hand, if I swap in normal pedals, aren't I just postponing the pain and further
ingraining bad habits?

I bought the bike in Park City, Utah, but I live in Boulder, Colorado. Both places have ample
places to ride.

Thanks in advance for any insight!

-- monique